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Re: an engineering question re: NITROMETHANE (OT!)(LONG)

To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: an engineering question re: NITROMETHANE (OT!)(LONG)
From: SPL311RDST@aol.com
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 21:24:17 EDT
Ok, here's Mark w/ some thoughts on the subject :

nqrithjim@hotmail.com writes:


> My question is:  What happens when you add this
> stuff to gas?  Will it mix with gas?
> Will it have higher octane and allow more
> spark advance, or will it work in other
> positive ways, like have a higher power
> density charge to the mixture (more energy calories/BTUs?)
> 
  I'm not a chemist, I don't even play one on TV. But consulting the Writ of 
Common Wisdom (Colin Cambells book the Sports Car)

  Nitromethane is an oxygenator, like MTBE It brings extra oxygen molecules 
to the equation. It has a latent heat lower than regular gasoline, and lots 
lower than alcohol, so don't look for any cooling effects.
  It has less than 20% of the energy of gasoline as well.

  And the Stochiometric ratio is givenas 2:1  (as opposed to petrols 14ish :1)

> Would there be any negative impact?  Blow up
> the engine?  Recommended mixture rate?
> Would it eat up the carb gaskets and fuel lines?

   Well...... the book warns against experimenting with Nitromethane fuels, 
due to the possibility of it causing spontaneous fuel tank explosions.  Bear 
in mind that this is an old book that cheerfully gives recipies for acetone 
based fuels.


> 
> Would innocent bystanders be able to tell non-pump
> gas was being used? (like, for example, at an
> autocross, would your roadster smell like a
> Nitro Dragster??)

  Nitromethane does have it's distictive smell - no getting around that


Mark not,
Laurie :-)
70 SPL311
AzROC
Chandler, AZ

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